The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second of a four-game series, but the contest in some regard takes a back seat to the celebration of Jackie Robinson’s career and accomplishments. Saturday is Jackie Robinson Day throughout Major League Baseball, with it being the 70-year anniversary of him breaking the color barrier.
Per tradition, all players and on-field personnel are wearing No. 42 jerseys without names on the back. The Dodgers held a pregame ceremony for the official unveiling of the Jackie Robinson statue, which is positioned on the left-field Reserve Level at Dodger Stadium.
Since the inception of Jackie Robinson Day on April 15, 2004, the Dodgers have gone 10-3, which is tied for the third-best record on Jackie Robinson Day, trailing the New York Mets (8-2) and St. Louis Cardinals (12-2).
Kenta Maeda faces the Diamondbacks a seventh time in his career. He enters a lifetime 3-1 with a 2.97 ERA against the current National League West leaders. Included in that is a 1-0 mark with a 1.45 ERA in three starts against the Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium.
Last season, he held Arizona batters to a .224 average, and had 34 strikeouts compared to just seven walks in 33.1 innings. This season, Maeda is 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA, 4.63 FIP and 1.40 WHIP in two starts. He’s completed five innings and allowed at least three runs in each of the outings.
While the Dodgers face a left-handed starter, it’s one they’ve enjoyed plenty of success against in Patrick Corbin. His last time beating Los Angeles was during the 2013 season. Corbin went a combined 0-5 with a 4.89 ERA in seven games (six starts) against the Dodgers during the 2015-16 seasons.
Overall in his career, the 27-year-old is 3-7 with a 4.33 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 14 games (12 starts) when facing Los Angeles. Adrian Gonzalez and Corey Seager are the lone left-handed batters in the Dodgers lineup.
Gonzalez has five hits off Corbin, including one home run, and three RBI in 22 at-bats. Yasiel Puig, who hits cleanup, is a career 5-for-16 with two doubles, one home run and four RBI against Corbin. Justin Turner has eight hits (one double and a home run) and four RBI in 21 at-bats.
While Kiké Hernandez was said to have made the Opening Day roster because of his ability to play center field, he slides over to left in favor of Trayce Thompson.
Jake Lamb and David Peralta return to the Diamondbacks lineup after both sat in the series opener. They’re tied with Paul Goldschmidt for the team lead in home runs this season (two), while Lamb leads the Diamondbacks with 10 RBI.
Arizona opened the season 6-1, but have gone 1-3 since, and enter play tied atop the division standings with the Colorado Rockies.
Dodgers lineup:
2B: Logan Forsythe
SS: Corey Seager
3B: Justin Turner
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
CF: Trayce Thompson
LF: Kiké Hernandez
C: Austin Barnes
P: Kenta Maeda
Diamondbacks lineup:
CF: Jeremy Hazelbaker
RF: David Peralta
1B: Paul Goldschmidt
3B: Jake Lamb
2B: Brandon Drury
LF: Daniel Descalso
SS: Nick Ahmed
C: Chris Herrmann
P: Patrick Corbin
